Can you help us sustain this work?
Thank you,
Peter Wagner, Executive Director Donate
What’s New
-
Our favorite journalism about the criminal legal system in 2025
And some commentary and editorial writing, too.
December 22: Prison Policy Initiative Blog
-
Grasping the Third Rail:
Restorative Justice and Violent Crime by Olwyn Conway
December 19: Research Library: Community impact
-
Large Minnesota study underscores disproportionate rates of health problems among recently incarcerated and unhoused people
In a study of more than 4.3 million people in Minnesota, researchers found widespread disparities in health conditions between the general population and people who were recently unhoused, jailed, or imprisoned.
December 18: Briefings
Featured report
State of Phone Justice 2022: The problem, the progress, and what's next
How much should it cost to stay in touch with Mom or Dad when they're locked up? We gathered data showing that while some jails and their phone companies provide calls for as low as 1 or 2 cents a minute, the vast majority charge 10 times that amount or more. Data from 50 state prison systems and over 3,000 local jails and other facilities show that families are paying exorbitant rates, while companies find new ways to price-gouge them through an expanding array of non-phone products.
Mass incarceration, state by state
Learn about the national prison crisis and how we can begin to turn the tide on mass incarceration. Then, drill down to your state. Be sure to also check out our pages focused on D.C., and the incarceration of Native people.
If our work is new to you, you might want to check out our 2024-2025 annual report.
Recommended Reading:
Tracking Trump's criminal legal system moves
The Administration is making America's criminal legal system harsher, less effective, and even more unjust.
Research Library
We curate a searchable database of 4,000+ original research reports, organizing each entry by topic and adding brief summaries.
Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie
The U.S. incarcerates nearly 2 million people. Where are they locked up and why? Read our report.
Bad Behavior
This national report explains how prison disciplinary policies manufacture misconduct and severly punish incarcerated people.